Process for treating fabrics and like materials to produce effects therein and products therefrom



Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE PROCESS FOR TREATING FABRICS AND LIKE MATERIALS TO PRODUCE EFFECTS THEREIN AND PRODUCTS THEREFROM No Drawing. Application February 13, 1936, Se-

rial No. 63,808. 1935 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a process for producing pattern fabrics and products therefrom.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide simple and novel processes for the produc: tion of pattern crepe-effects, pattern translucent or transparent eifects or for the production of a combination of both effects.

Another object of the invention is to provide special starting fabrics containing different kinds of yarns which enable the production of the desired finish effects. According to the invention the starting fabric contains at least two different sets or kinds of yarns, one set being of such character as to be substantially insensitive to swelling agents to which the other of the two sets of yarns is sensitive so as to give or enhance the desired optical contrast between the respective areas of the fabric consisting of the two sets of yarns. Another object of the invention is to provide products from such processes having novel and improved characteristics. Other objects will be in part obviousand in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention comprises the novel products as well as the novel processes and steps of processes according to which such products are manufactured, the specific embodiments of which are described hereinafter by way of examples and in accordance with which we now prefer to practice the invention.

Definitions I expressions as herein used,.we mean vegetable yarns having all or a suflicient amount of their natural incrustations adhering to the fibers so astorend'er said" fibers relatively insensitive to swelling agents, although the yarns may-have been given mild cleansing or other treatments I i which do not materially remove their naturalim cru'stations.

By the term mamas:s eater used, we meanflyarns which as woven are not-substantially sens1tive to the. swelling agents applied to the fabrics containing such yarns.

' The following relates to theproductioneof crepe-like effects and translucent pattern efiects and nte mediate materials used therein employ- Germany February 15,

ing scoured yarns and yarns containing natural incrustations.

1. TREATED YARNS COMBINED WITH RAW-INCKUSTED YARNS (a) Producing crepe-like effects by shrinkage In order to produce crepe-like effects (Crepon) in loose condition, it has already been suggested to weave together mercerized and unmercerized cotton yarn and to treat such fabric with mercerizing liquor without tension. Thereby the unmercerized yarn shrinks while the mercerized yarn remains unshortened so that undulated extensions and depressions are formed on the fabric. This old process produces very unsatisfactory results. These unsatisfactory results occur because the mercerized yarns are affected also by a second treatment with mercerizing lye.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention it has now been found that improved effects can be obtained by the use of starting fabrics containing opened-up yarns and raw yarns of vegetable fibers to which the natural incrustations still adhere. Swelling agents having a shrinking efiect known to the textile finisher are then caused to act on such fabric in accordance with the present invention so that the yarn previously treated contracts while the crude yarn remains substantially uncontracted. If a very pronounced crepelike effect is to be obtained, it is preferable to use alkali lyes of mercerizing strength. In this way there is produced a crepelike effect which may take the most varied forms depending on the distribution in the fabric of the raw eifect-yarns, that is, the yarns which according to this part of our invention are present initially in the fabric as raw yarn containing the natural incrustations. For example, the raw yarn may be woven to' form stripes, diamonds, etc. Also other fabrics can be finished in the same manner, for-instance knitted goods, hosiery goods,

printed goods, etc. which consist of previously treated and -raw vegetable yarns containing incrustations may be employed.

After shrinking the fabric can be further treated in any desired manner, namely by bleaching, dyeing,-flnishing or the like. In dyeing, tone in' tone" effects can be obtained since the previously treated opened-up fiber has the property ofv consuming more. dye than the raw fiberx The expressionftone intone is intended to indicate" the effect gi en by such a combination .of dyed fibers possessing different shades of color.

' if this. process is comslned with the usual reserve printing process, peculiar and manifv'd effects can be obtained. For example the fabric prepared in accordance with the invention from previously treated and raw incrusted cotton yarn is printed locally with a gum reserve (Gummi Reserve) and after drying, is mercerized in loose condition. The yarn protected by the reserve remains unchanged so that these parts stand out as pattern effects.

The process is preferably employed with cotton containing fabrics, but the other natural vegetable fiber products can be used instead of cotton. It is important, however, in selecting for the effect yarns, such natural vegetable fibrous material as contains the natural incrustations. The fabric may contain one kind of fiber alone or there may be an admixture of fibers so long as some of the yarns are relatively insensitive to the swelling agent.

The following examples embody the present aspect of the invention as we now prefer to carry it out, but the invention is not to be restricted thereto except as indicated in the appended claims:

Example 1.-Cotton muslin, the base of which consists of yarn previously scoured and into which effect-yarns of raw cotton containing incrustations are woven in stripes, is impregnated with caustic soda solution of 37 B. at 10 C. for 3 seconds. The material is pressed and set aside at room temperature for three minutes in unstretched condition. Thereupon it is washed hot at about 85 C., acidified and bleached carefully in the usual manner. Finally it is dried in loose condition. The effect produced is shown by the wave-like projections of the effect-threads which impart to the fabric a crepe-like character.

Example 2.Muslin woven from scoured cotton, yarn and also containing as effect yarns individual raw cotton yarns containing incrustations woven into warp and filler in diamond shaped patterns is printed with a gum resist, for example gum arable, locally. After the drying of the resist the fabric is mercerized without tension in accordance with Example 1, washed, whereby also the resist is removed, and finished. The resist parts are set off as patterns from the checkered pattern background.

(b) Producing transparent and translucent effects It is known that stiffened more or less transparent effects can be produced on cellulose-containing fabrics by means of various parchmentizing swelling agents. If this process is'employed on fabrics in which thick yarns have been incorporated in thin fabrics for the purpose of producing a pattern, for example yarns woven in stripes or rectangular form, or if the process is employed on fabrics embroidered in figures forming denser parts of the fabrics, the resulting products obtained by this old process have an ugly appearance. The thick incorporated threads become hard and brittle and bring about an excessive stiffness of the entire surface of the fabric. I I

It has now been found in accordance with this aspect of the present invention that these did!- culties may be avoided if fabrics are prepared which contain on the one hand previously treated yarns. that is "opened" yarns as described above, and on the other hand yarns which are substantially insensitive to swelling agents, namely raw yarns to which natural incrustations still adhere. It has been found that the latter yarns are not influenced by agents for producing the stiffened more or less transparent effects.

' ployed for the transparentizing treatment in conjunction with sulphuric acid treatment. Alternate treatments with caustic soda followed by sulphuric acid of 50.5" B. or over, followed by another treatment with caustic soda of mercerizing strength in the well-known manner may also be employed for producing transparentizing effect on cotton yam which has been "openedup, while the naturally incrusted yarn interwoven therewith remains substantially without change. Other reagents that may be used to give similar translucent effects, as is well-known, are the following agents used alone: sulphuric acid, phosphoric acid, mixed acid (nitric and sulphuric acid), caustic soda solution which has been cooled down to about 10 C., zinc chloride, calcium thiocyanate, ammoniacal copper oxide and others. These reagents are employed under conditions of time, temperature and concentration which are well-known in the art, for example as shown in U. S. Patents 1,265,082 and 1,395,472,

According to the present invention the fabrics which have been treated to produce the translucent or transparent effects can, if desired, be further treated in order to render the original raw yarns containing the natural incrustations susceptible to further treatment. For instance they can be treated to render them more absorptive to dyestuffs. Such raw naturally incrusted yarns can be "opened" up by bleaching or other opening up process described above. After the opening up of these raw yarns so that they then exist in a fabric which has been rendered more transparent or more translucent, the fabric can be treated with a shrinking agent such as caustic soda which will cause these non-transparent yarns to shrink so that a wavy effect will appear on the surface of the fabric of the transparent or translucent fabric.

In addition various effects can be obtained if the swelling agent for producing transparency or translucency is only caused to act locally on the fabrics by direct or resist printing. Pattern effects produced in this manner can be further changed by treating them again subsequently with swelling agents having a shrinking action as for instance caustic soda solution by which crepe-like patterns are obtained.

In addition combinations of simultaneous o successive local action of transparentizing agents (or agents for producing translucency) and shrinking agents can be employed. In connection with this patterns can be printed alongside of each other or on top of each other.

by dyeing and color printing in any conceivable manner. Depending on the dyestuif selected there can be obtained thereby multi-stage shadings of the diflerent colors because of the different action of the dyestuffs on the fibers treated by the transparentizing, shrinking and other swelling agents.

The following are specific examples of embodiments of this aspect of the invention as-we The-effects mentioned can be further enriched now prefer to practice it. The invention is not restricted thereto, however, except as indicated in the appended claims: v

Example 3.-A cotton muslin fabric, the base of which" consists of scoured cotton yarns containing woven stripes of coarse raw cotton yarns, and also effect yarns containing natural incrustations is treated with sulphuric acid of 53 B. at 12 C. for 8 seconds. Thereupon the acid is washed out, the fabric is mercerized with caustic soda solution of 28 B. at 15 C. The fabric is then bleached. The resultant product is a transparent fabric in which appears stripe effects, these stripes being the raw cotton which has not been transparentized due to the protective coating of the incrustations. These stripes remain soft and their presence does not tend to render the fabric more brittle. They give an optical contrast in which because of their non-transparent character, they are set off from the transparent base.

Example 4.A cotton muslin fabric, the base of which consists of scoured cotton yarns and also containing woven stripes of coarse raw cotton yarns, as effect yarns, containingnatural incrustations is treated with a solution of 70 parts of zinc chloride in 30 parts of water at 100 C. during 20 seconds. The fabric is then washed with cold water and finished in a frame. A similar eifect is obtained as described in Example 3. Example 5.A cotton muslin consisting of scoured yarns and raw yarns as efi'ect yarns forming a suitable design is printed with a resist of gum arabic and dried. Then it is treated with sulfuric acid of 54 B. during 10 seconds at 8 C. Then itis washed thoroughly, whereby also the resist is removed, and then bleached and finished. The resist parts stand out as patterns from the transparent background which is traced through by opaque designs due to the raw yarns.

Example 6.-A starting fabric of cotton muslin as described in Example 3 is transparentized in the same way as is pointed out in said example. The fabric is then k er-boiled and bleached and dried in a frame. Afterwards it is treated with caustic soda solution according to Example 1. The raw threads opened up by kier-boiling now shrink whereupon the transparent parts which remain substantially unchanged by the alkali treatment, assume'a wavelike appearance.

2. UNCOATED YARNS COMBINED WITH COATED YARNS (a) Producing crepe-like effects by shrinkage In accordance with this aspect of the present invention it has been found that instead of the vegetable yarns contain ng natural ncrustations, there may be subst tuted yarns which have already been subjected to prior treatment, for instance bleached, mercerzed or dyed yarns. but which prior to manufacture into fabric have been made insensitive or inert to the action ofthe swelling agents. There are suitable for this purpose natural vegetable yarns and artificial yams 3. Impregnating with solutions of waxes and higher melting fats and hydrocarbons, for instance 10% beeswax in benzine; 10% Japan wax in benzine; 8% synthetic wax in benzine; rubber in benzol toluol, chlorinated rubber in toluol, paraflin in benzine and the like.

4. Production of film-like or varnish-like coatings on the yarns by means of varnishes and resin-like substances, for instance cellulose esters, for example 15% nitrocellulose in a1cohol+ethyl acetate, solution of dimethyl urea, acetyl cellulose in acetone, and the like.

The vegetable or animal yarns or rayon yarns which have been made insensitive to swelling agents by any of the above-described methods are now woven with previously treated opened up yarns, that is, with yarns which are affected by swelling agents. Especially favorable results may be obtained with lustrous and dyed yarns which have been made insensitive in the manner indicated above. The completed fabrics are shrunk by means of swelling agents known to the textile finisher including those mentioned above for crepe-like effects under (a). After the washing out of the swelling agent the insensitizing material, depending-on its nature, may either be removed or may remain in the fabric. In the latter case, if their presence for some particular purpose should prove objectionable they may be removed by a special process. In most cases, however, such subsequent treatment is not necessary. The completed fabrics can be improved further by subsequent dyeing if desired. Such dyeing may be performed if desired before the insensitizing materials have been removed.

This process may be combined with the customary resist printing processes, briefly referred to above, to obtain manifold effects.

The following are examples of embodiments of the invention just described. The invention is not limited thereto except as indicated in the appended claims:

Example 7.-A calico fabric, the base of which consists of secured yarns and also containing as effect yarns woven stripes of mercerized cotton yarns which have been impregnated with a solution made up from 15 parts of nitrocellulose, 57 parts of ethyl acetate and 28 parts of spirit is treated with caustic soda solution according to Example 1. Similar effects of those of Example 1 are obtained but the lustre of the mercerised effect threads imparts a good appearance to the finished fabric.

,Example 8.A cotton muslin which contains scoured cotton yarns and as effect yarns, cotton yarns which have been mercerized, dyed and impregnated with a solution of 10% beeswax in benzine, is treated according to Example 1. A special effect is obtained by means of the dyed effect yarns.

(b) Producing transparent and translucent eflects Fabrics containing sensitive uncoated and insensitiaed coated yarns prepared as in 2 (a) above may also be treated with agents to produce areas of transparency or translucency along with some stiffening of the fabric. The swelling agents employed for producing these effects may be the same as those given under the title 1 (b) above. The effects produced by the use of these insensitive yarns are similar to the effects described under 1 (b) above. The following are specific examples of this part of the invention, it being understood that the invention is not restricted thereto, except as indicated in the appended claims:

Example 9.A cotton muslin the base of which consists of scoured yarns and also containing effect yarns made insensitive to the action of parchmentizing agents by impregnation with an emulsion of paraflin (for example Migasol marketed by Gesellschaft fiir chemische Industrie, Basel) is treated with sulfuric acid in the same way as described in Example 3. The effect yarns remain soft and give an optical contrast because of their non-transparent character.

3. RAW YARNS OR SENSITIVE YARNS COMBINED WITH FORMALDEHYDE CELLULosE YARNS Cellulose-containing yarns which have [been suitably treated with formaldehyde show excellent resistance to swelling agents hereinbefore described and therefore may be used as the insensitive yarns. For example regenerated cellulose treated according to the copending application of Frauenfelder, Serial No. 62,994, filed February 8, 1936, is used. Two examples taken from this application are as follows:

A full cotton voile is treated in a jigger for 15 minutes at 50 'C. in a 30% formaldehyde bath to which has been added 0.75% aluminum thiocyanate. After squeezing out the excess liquor the fabric is dried at aboue 120 C. for 20 minutes. The fabric may be exposed to'an air current or left lying around for a period until any odor of formaldehyde disappears. The fabric thus treated upon compression to test crease-resistance is smoothed out again and shows an agreeable soft feel. g

A viscose spun-rayon fabric is treated in a jigger for 15 minutes at 20 C. in a bath containing 20 liter of technical solution of formaldehyde (38%) 400 grams of ammonium chloride and 80 liters of water. Excess liquor is squeezed out, the fabric is dried at 70 C. for about 15 minutes then exposed to a temperature of 120 C. during 20 minutes. Then follows a short treatment with a hot soap bath, containing about 3 grams of soap per liter. After washing out and drying the fabric is remarkably resistant to creasing. Similar yarns may replace the fabrics in the two examples mentioned, taken from said Frauenfelder application, Serial No. 62,994, to produce the desired inactive formaldehyde cellulose yarns herein referred to.

Such insensitive yarns accordingly may be employed with sensitive yarns for the production of crepe-like effects, as well as for the production of fabrics having transparent or translucent areas. The formaldehyde cellulose yarns also possess a certain repelling property towards dyestuffs.

It has further been found that cellulosic yarns treated with formeldehyde as above show an excellent resistance to scouring (boiling with dilute alkalies) and even kier-boiling (boiling with dilute alkalies under pressure). They do not lose their valuable properties of not being affected by the shrinking agents nor by the transparentizing agents referred to in Parts 1 and 2 of the present application. Thus when using these formaldehyde treated yarns there is no need of weaving scoured yarns or yarns otherwise opened up (called active cellulosic fibres in this application) together with the inactive formaldehyde yarns, although such scoured yarns may be used if desired. These formaldehyde cellulose yarns may be woven into a. fabric with the raw vegetable yarns, for instance into a cotton voile or Example 11.

(a) Producing crepe-like efiects by shrinkage The following examples represent embodiments of the process just described. The invention is not limited thereto except as indicated in the appended claims:

Example 11.A raw cotton muslin, the base of which consists of raw cotton yarnsand also containing effect twists of cotton treatedaccording to the example for cotton of said copending application is scoured, bleached and treated with caustic soda lye, according to Example 1. Similar effects are obtained as in Example 1. It is to be understood that no subsequent bleaching occurs in this case, as it was necessary in Example 1 because of the raw effect threads.

Example 12.A muslin web the base of which consists of raw cotton yarns and also containing viscose yarns treated according to the example for viscose of said copending application is scoured, bleached and afterwards treated as described in The effect yarns in this and in the previous example withstand scouring and bleaching without losing their reserving properties. Whereas the raw yarns, opened up by scouring shrink through the action of caustic alkali lye the effect yarns remain substantially unchanged and form wavelike projections all over the web.

Example 13.A muslin such as used in either of the Examples 11 and 12 is scoured bleached, dried and printed with a gum resist, for example gum arabic, locally. Then it is treated according to Example 1 with mercerizing lye without tension, washed, acidified and washed again. If this fabric, which has already assumed a crepe-like character, the resist parts standing out as patterns, is now dyed three shades are obtained. The shrunk parts are dyed strongly, the resist parts somewhat less, the effect threads behaving differently to different (colors) dyes.

The crepe-effects obtained are in general character similar to those secured in connection with the other processes described above.

(b) Producing transparent or translucent e17ects Similarly the formaldehyde cellulose yarns may be combined as inactive cellulose ya'rns with active cotton or other vegetable fibrous material and thereafter treated with swelling agents, as mentioned under 1 (b) above, for producing areas of transparency or translucency. The following examples represent embodiments of the process just described. The invention is not limited thereto except as indicated in the appended claims.

Example 14.--A raw cotton muslin containing effect yarns of cotton treated with formaldehyde according to the example for treatment of cotton taken from said Frauenfelder application given above above-mentioned copending application is kier-boiled bleached and dried in a frame. Afterwards it is exposed to sulfuric acid of 54 B. during 8 seconds at C., washed, mercerized with tension, washed with hot water, acidified,

washed and finished in a frame. Thus the fabric is transparentized except for the effect threads which remain soft and opaque and give an optical contrast.

Example 15.-A raw cotton muslin containing effect threads of viscose artificial silk treated according to example for treatment of viscose taken from said Frauenfelder application given above the copending application mentioned above is scoured, bleached, dried ina frame and printed with a resist of gum arabic. Afterwards it is exposed to sulfuric acid of 54 B. during 8.

seconds at 12 C., thoroughly washed and finished. A peculiar effect is obtained dueto the lustrous viscose threads standing out from the unchanged resist parts as well as from the transparent background.

The products obtained in accordance with the examples just given are in general character similar to those obtained in the examples above where agents for producing transparent or translucent effects are employed.

Depending on the distribution of formaldehyde cellulose threads in the fabric, various patterns can be obtained. If desired direct or resist printing may be employed in conjunction with either the crepe-like effects or transparent or translucent eifects. In addition combinations of both shrinking and transparentizing or rendering more translucent can be employed on the same fabric. By these various steps effects can be produced which heretofore have only been possible by special expensive weaving technique or have been practically impossible to achieve.

The process employing the formaldehyde cellulose yarns is very simple andreliable. Due to the change in the dye-absorbing properties of the formaldehyde cellulose yarns, on dyeing a wide range of color contrast in the fabric is obtained, some of which are different from those obtained by other processes herein described.

The formaldehyde-treated yarns may consist of natural vegetable fibers as for instance cotton, linen. hemp, ramie and the like and also of cellulose-containing artificial fibers such as viscose, rayon, cuprammonium artificial silk, saponified nitro-rayon and artificial staple fibers. As basic substances for the vegetable yarns there may be employed all natural spinning fibers. The fabrics prepared from the yarns may be of any kind, as for. instance woven, braided or knitted fabrics and may contain both kinds of yarn, formaldehyde treated and untreated yarn, in varying proportions. That is, either the natural active fiber may predominate or the formaldehyde cellulose fiber may predominate to give different effects.

In the claims where the expression active fibers is employed, it is intended to mean natural fibers containing cellulose, e. g. cotton, linen, ramie and hemp or other natural cellulosecontaining material which is capable of being shrunk or rendered more transparent or translucent, by any of the agents for such purpose herein described.

The expression inactive formaldehyde cellulose fibers refers to fibers containing cellulose treated with formaldehyde as herein described. The expression "parchmentizing agent as em ployed in the claims refers to sulfuric acid, zinc chloride, or similar agent which acts on active fibers to produce a parchmentizing effect. This effect ordinarily shows translucence or transparence, usually with some stiffening of the fabric. The expression parchmentlzed" is intended to refer to the result of the action of such parchmentizing agent.

Subject matter not herein claimed is claimed in our co-pending application, Serial No. 252,938, filed January 26, 1939.

While the invention has been described in detail according to the preferred manner of carrying out the process, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art after understandingthe invention, that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A process for producing pattern fabrics which comprises treating with a swelling agent a fabric containing inactive formaldehyde cellulose fibres and active fibres woven in a pattern, the active fibres being natural vegetable fibres which are active to swelling agents, and altering the active fibres under the swelling action to form a visible pattern while the inactive fibres are substantially unaltered by said swelling action.

2. A process for producing pattern fabrics which comprises treating with sulfuric acid of parchmentizing strength, a fabric containing inactive formaldehyde cellulose fibres and active fibres woven in a pattern, the active fibres being natural vegetable fibres which have been treated to remove surface incrustations and render the fibres substantially active to the parchmentizing agent, to parchmentize the active fibres While a the inactive fibres remain substantially unaffected by said agent.

3. A process for producing pattern fabrics which comprises treating with caustic soda of shrinking strength, a fabric containing inactive formaldehyde cellulose fibres and active fibres woven in a pattern, the active fibres being natural vegetable fibres which have been treated to remove surface incrustations, and render the fibres substantially active to the shrinking agent, and shrinking the active fibres under the action of the shrinking agent to produce a creping effect, while the inactive fibres are substantially unaltered by said shrinking agent.

4. A woven fabric containing cellulose yarn and formaldehyde cellulose yarn, the cellulose yarn being crepe-shrunk and theformaldehyde cellulose yarn being substantially unaffected by the shrinking agent, wherebya pattern appears in the fabric.

5. A. woven fabric containing cellulose yarn and formaldehyde cellulose yarn, the cellulose yarn being parchmentized and the formaldehyde cellulose yarn being substantially unaffected by the parchmentizing agent, whereby a pattern appears in the fabric.

6. A process for producing pattern fabrics which comprises treating a fabric containing inactive formaldehyde cellulose fibres and active fibres successively with a swelling parchmentizing agent and with a swelling shrinking agent, the active fibres being natural vegetable fibres active to swelling agents and altering said active fibres by said agents to produce in some fibres shrinking and in others parchmentizing while the inactive fibres are substantially unaltered by said swelling agents.

GEORGES HEBERLEIN. ERNST WEISS. 

